


The Doors Were Open

by workofcat



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Blind Betrayal Spoilers (Fallout 4), Depressing, Execution, F/M, Love Confessions, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:22:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28863240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/workofcat/pseuds/workofcat
Summary: a one-shot look at the end of the quest 'blind betrayal' - my ss vanessa struggles to come to terms with her mission: the execution of the synth once known as paladin danse. short and sweet.
Relationships: Paladin Danse/Female Sole Survivor
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	The Doors Were Open

The doors were open.   
That was the first sign that something was wrong. Well, aside from the terrible, twisting feeling in Vanessa's stomach. The open doors were definitely a sign, though.   
On the entire vertibird ride to the post, she had been hoping with every fiber of her being that the doors would be closed, the bunker empty. That all of this, every single part of this mission, would be a mistake, and Danse would surely be back at the Prydwen by now, explaining everything to Elder Maxson. He would clap her on the back as she arrived back to the original ship, and they could celebrate the fact that everything, for once, was okay.   
But the doors were open.   
The vertibird hovered for a moment to allow Vanessa to jump off before immediately flying off again, leaving her in the dust. She couldn't blame the pilot, really. She didn't want to be here either.   
She made quick work of the laser turrets in front, a few blasts from her gun - a gift from Danse - turning the turrets to little more than hunks of steel. As she crept closer to the post, she couldn't stop thinking. Why were they on? Goddamnit, they had to be pre-war, right? He wouldn't turn them on... The bunker was already like this, she told herself as she loped into the hillside building and powered up the elevator.   
She couldn't kid herself, though. Someone was definitely here.   
With no expectations of what she would find, Vanessa opened the elevator with her gun at the ready to find a wide room, filled with pre-war tech and littered with the bodies of several protectrons. One of them still beeped, seemingly not all the way dead despite the several laser holes in its torso. It only took a decent shot to the head, though, to shut it up. Gleaming off the fluorescent lights of the bunker, it laid as a pile of scrap metal  
𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪'𝘮 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭  
Vanessa shook her head like a dog, fruitlessly trying to rid herself of the thoughts. Just. Keep. Moving. She pushed through the room to a small cave off of an enormous hole in the wall, the sound of dripping from the cave walls filling her head. And, lo and behold, as she crept through the space, she spotted him - the shadow of a tall man glimmering on the wall of the hallway that separated Vanessa from a traitor.   
She didn't have to do this.  
Did she?  
Haylen had asked her to spare him. But worlds are not saved by heroes pardoning villians. Good cannot exist in a world where evil is entirely excused.   
The thing formerly known as - as what, exactly? Her friend? Her confidante? Her love? had to pay for what he had tricked her into believing.  
Goddamnit, why did she have to do this?  
"I was wondering if they'd send you," A familiar voice breached Vanessa's thoughts.   
She didn't answer at first, merely pointing her weapon at the former paladin's head. A million possible questions raced through her head. But only one emerged from her lips.   
"Why-," she choked on her words. "-didn't you tell me, Danse," She'd meant that phrase to sound accusatory, jabbing, but only pain echoed through her sentence.   
He didn't meet her eyes, instead fidgeting with his hands, which were bare. His nails were jagged and short as if hewn down by hours and days of biting. Since when had he chewed his nails?   
"You know why," His voice was soft, softer than Vanessa had ever heard it. No. No. She could not let herself get drawn in by him.   
"Horse shit, Danse! There is no way that you didn't-,"  
He took a breath, his eyes meeting hers as her temper flared. "Knight-"  
"Answer me! How the fuck could you 'not know'-," She was cut off as he took a step forward.  
"Don't you understand? I don't know! All these - these memories I have-," His voice shook as it rose. Danse, emotional? "Rivet City, Coulter, even joining the goddamn Brotherhood was all fake! Do you know where I came from?"  
He didn't give time for her to answer, his explanation too far in motion. "A lab!" His shouts echoed throughout the pre-war space, his breathing heavy.   
Vanessa was silent in response, her pistol wavering from its spot on his forehead. She thought for a moment before asking again. "How did you find out?"  
At this more logical question, Danse seemed to calm a bit, his posture relaxing. "Haylen. She supposedly heard from some field scribe of Quinlan's, and had the compassion to tell me first,"  
Tears were building behind Vanessa's eyes and her head began to hurt. No, no, no - why did she have to do this. Danse, who had taught her how to carry herself in this new and unusual world. Danse, who had been there for her when everything she had cared for was gone. Danse, who was the bravest man she had met.  
She jerked her head, attempting to pull herself out of whatever she was feeling. She needed answers.   
"If this is all true," His eyes were hollow as she spoke. "then why did you run?"  
Shame showed on Danse's face.   
"Tactical training. One of the base rules - if you're outmatched and have no way to fight it out, you run," Silence echoed throughout the room before he decided to continue. "Let's get to the point. Maxson has sent you to execute me,"  
Vanessa snorted, some strange laugh ripping its way out of her body. "Yes, he has,"  
"I must remind you that 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵. If you give half a damn about what the Brotherhood believes in, if you truly identify with anything I've told you in the past, then you understand that there can be no exceptions to the Institute's evil,"   
Vanessa closed her eyes, shaking her head as her knuckles became white gripping the pistol.  
"It is up to you to uphold these values, to be the soldier and person that I know you are," Danse's aggression faded out for a moment, and Vanessa caught a glimpse of the broken man underneath. His words were pleading as his eyes desperately locked onto Vanessa's.   
She tilted her head. "The thing is, I don't even know if that's a human or a machine talking,"  
"Yes. I know. And the fact that you're confused means that I must not be the exception. You-"  
"I have to do it," Vanessa's words were clipped and short, cutting off those of the man before her. An expression of what can only be described as relief flowed into Danse's face.   
He nodded vigorously. "I've never been more proud of you than I have in this moment, Vanessa," The use of her first name made her step back, the breaking of Danse's always-formal way of speaking jarring.   
"Goodbye, Danse,"   
Before she could bring herself to pull the trigger, Danse opened his mouth quickly, one last question on his lips. "I have to at least ask you this-"  
She knew what he would ask. God, don't say it, she couldn't bring herself to do it if he did -   
"Did you love me?"   
A single tear fought its way out of Vanessa's left eye as she took a moment to respond.   
"Do you think this would be so difficult if I didn't?"

A beam of light. A blast. An echo. Danse slumped to the floor.   
Vanessa's fingers loosened around the gun as she slumped to her knees, a sob clawing its way out of her crumpled body.  
She exited the building several hours later.   
And the doors were still open.

**Author's Note:**

> hey ao3! this is my first time posting here so i thought i'd start out with something i'm familiar with - depressing fallout 4 fanfics! enjoy and keep in mind i've never written fanfiction before.


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